Bolton Becomes U.N. Ambassador in Recess Appointment

With the Senate in recess, U.S. President George W. Bush today appointed John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, July 26).

“This post is too important to leave vacant any longer, especially during a war and a vital debate about U.N. reform,” Bush said at a news conference this morning, where he was joined by Bolton and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. 

The recess appointment will last until the next session of Congress begins in January 2007, according to AP.

“It will be a distinct privilege to be an advocate for America's values and interests at the U.N. and, in the words of the U.N. charter, to help maintain international peace and security,” said Bolton at the news conference.

Bush said the former undersecretary of state had the backing of most senators but “because of partisan delaying tactics by a handful of senators, John was unfairly denied the up-or-down vote that he deserves.”

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said the president had a right to make the recess appointment and pledged to work with the ambassador. “We look forward to working with him as I do with the other 190 ambassadors, and we will welcome him at a time when we are in the midst of major reform,” Annan said.

Some Republicans on Capitol Hill praised Bolton’s appointment. “The president did the right thing by sending Mr. Bolton to the U.N. He is a smart, principled and straightforward candidate, and will represent the president and America well on the world stage,” said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).

However, Ohio Republican Senator George Voinovich said the recess appointment will damage Bolton at the U.N. General Assembly. “I am truly concerned that a recess appointment will only add to John Bolton's baggage and his lack of credibility with the United Nations.”

Prominent Democrats blasted the move.   Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) called Bolton a “seriously flawed and weakened candidate” and said the president “chose to stonewall the Senate” with the recess appointment.

Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) called the appointment “a devious maneuver that evades the constitutional requirement of Senate consent and only further darkens the cloud over Mr. Bolton's credibility at the U.N.”

“The president has done a real disservice to our nation by appointing an individual who lacks to the credibility to further U.S. interests at the United Nations,” added Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) (Terence Hunt, Associated Press I/Yahoo!News, Aug. 1).

Over the weekend, Senate Democrats charged that Bolton was “not truthful” when answering questions about his record, the New York Times reported Saturday.

The accusation was made in a letter to the president signed by 35 Democrats and one independent, according to the Times.

The Times also reported that Senate Democrats planned the symbolic move of formally sending Bolton’s name back to the White House when the Senate adjourned. Democrats hoped this would make a recess appointment more uncomfortable for the president (Steven Weisman, New York Times, July 30).

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